Jazz Piano Proficiency for Non-pianist Jazz Majors
JAZZ KEYBOARD PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENTS
for Undergraduate and Graduate Non-Pianist Jazz Majors
* page examples are from: Stylistic II/V7/I Voicings for Keyboardists by Luke Gillespie (available online or from Professor Gillespie or Jazz Piano AI; may be available at TIS Books)
* Voicings: be able to play the following progressions: key circle (p. 18), half-steps ascending/descending (p. 21), whole steps ascending/descending (p. 22). Practice the dotted quarter/eighth note rhythm that you learned in class, articulating long-short and short-long rhythmic patterns. Play all requirements at a minimum of quarter note = 100.
I. Voicings:
●Bud Powell shell voicings (p.14, Ex. 6a & 6b)
●Dropped note voicings (p.29, Ex. 1a & 1c)
●Dropped note altered voicings (p.34, Ex. 13a-c, 14a-c)
●Rootless voicings for both hands (p.36, Ex. 1a, b, OR c; p.37, Ex. 3a, b, OR c)
●Rootless voicings for left hand (p.37, Ex. 5 & 6)
●Rootless altered voicings (38, Ex. 9-10; p. 39, Ex. 16-17)
●Minor ii/V7/I voicings (p.43, Ex. 1a)
●Tritone substitutions (p.54, Ex. 3b)
●Tritone ii-V7 substitutions (p.58: D-7/G7/Ab-7/Db7/C in all keys, using any voicings from list)
●Minor third substitutions (p.59: D-7/G7/F-7/Bb7/C in all keys, using any voicings from list)
● “So What” voicings (p.65, Ex.1)
●Latin comping pattern (handout)
●Blues voicings (handouts: F, Bb, Eb, Ab) – choose either inversion for each key
II. Repertoire:
Group A – play melody in RH with shell voicings with LH; two-hand comping (choose voicings from list above)
♫ Tune Up
♫ Satin Doll
Group B – two-hand comping only (you may choose any voicings from list above)
♫ Afternoon in Paris
♫ Half Nelson
♫ Groovin’ High
♫ Autumn Leaves
♫ Blues for Alice
♫ Maiden Voyage (using “So What” voicings)
III. 24 hour piece: You will be given a new tune to prepare (melody in RH with chords in LH, and two-handed comping) the day before your exam. You may choose any voicings from the list above. Memory not required.